Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"I...I'm going to throw up too!"

After saying that, Lin Xiuyi hurriedly ran into the bathroom and sat next to Yukiko by the toilet, gagging together.

Was the milk spoiled, or is Onii-chan allergic to milk?

Lingzi stood at the bathroom door, holding a half-finished glass of milk, her brows furrowed in confusion.

She tried a sip; it was sweet and had a rich milky flavor.

That's strange, it tastes really good!

……

In the afternoon, as agreed yesterday, the people who were going to travel to Osaka together arrived at the izakaya one after another. They sat around in the living room, waiting for Lin Xiuyi to come over to discuss the departure date and itinerary.

"Where's Shuichi?"

Ruri looked around but didn't see Lin Xiuyi. Puzzled, she nudged Eri beside her.

"We've been here for quite a while, where is he?"

"How would I know?" Eri Kisaki shrugged helplessly. "We came together. I didn't see him when we arrived. He's probably still sleeping upstairs."

"You two are a couple, how come you don't know where he is?" Liuli teased with a smile.

"Couples..."

Upon hearing those two words, Eri Kisaki paused noticeably, a complex emotion flashing across her face.

Between her and Lin Xiuyi, they experienced everything that should and shouldn't have happened, and their relationship and intimacy far exceeded that of ordinary friends.

However, that philandering bastard, like a ship that refuses to dock, never explicitly acknowledged their relationship to the outside world, nor did he make any promises.

This ambiguous state was like a tiny thorn, occasionally pricking her heart.

"You and Shuichi faced a life-or-death ordeal on this trip to America!"

Seeing the disappointment on her best friend's face, Liuli lowered her voice in surprise.
"No... there hasn't been any substantial progress at all, has there?"

"It's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be!"

Eri Kisaki felt embarrassed by what she said, her cheeks flushing slightly, before she said somewhat dejectedly,
"Although the situation was dangerous, Shuichi took most of the blame by himself. I was just startled, but I didn't actually encounter any real danger."

"Shuichi is indeed reliable in this regard!"

Liuli placed her hands on the table, propped her cheeks up with her wrists, and looked on with admiration.

“From childhood to adulthood, I have always felt very safe when I am with him. I don’t have to worry about anything. He always takes care of everything. Unlike some people, who panic when something happens.”

Compared to him...

As Ruri finished speaking, she glanced helplessly at Kogoro Mouri, who was cleaning nearby, her tone tinged with disdain.

"Kogoro is much more unreliable. Last time we went to the amusement park, he actually lost the tickets, which made us stand at the entrance for more than half an hour."

While wiping the table, Kogoro Mouri heard his girlfriend mention him and, thinking it was a compliment, immediately looked up, flashed Ruri a big smile, and waved.
"Liuli, are you talking about me? Do you think I've been particularly diligent today?"

Liuli rolled her eyes at him: "Who praised you? I was saying you're unreliable!"

Kogoro Mouri's smile froze on his face instantly. He lowered his head in grievance and continued wiping the table, muttering to himself.
"It was just once, um, twice, I think it was three times... I didn't do it on purpose." "Kogoro may seem carefree, but when it comes to real trouble, he's actually quite reliable."

Eri Kisaki smiled and defended Kogoro Mouri.

"When Shuichi was in danger last time, Kogoro was the first to rush to help. And he has a quality that Shuichi definitely doesn't have."

"What are the advantages?" Liuli asked curiously.

"I'm not popular with women."

Eri Kisaki suppressed a laugh and said softly,
"Look, from childhood to adulthood, besides you, what other girl has ever paid attention to him? When I found out that you took the initiative to confess to him, I was really surprised. I thought you would like someone like Shuichi."

"What kind of advantage is that?!"

Liuli pouted, and although she wouldn't admit it, a hint of relief and sweetness flashed in her eyes.

Although Kogoro Mouri is unreliable, his kindness towards me is unique, and he never flirts with other girls, which is much better than Shuichi Hayashi's.

"If Shuichi had this 'advantage',"

Eri sighed softly, her gaze sweeping over the other girls standing or sitting in the izakaya. She noticed Midori Orikasa and Chikage Tomizawa huddled together reading a magazine, and Yukiko and Reiko who had just entered and were curiously peering around. Her disappointment deepened.
"Why would I need to be like this now..."

She didn't say what came next, but the meaning was self-evident.

Liuli looked at the "grand scene" in the room and nodded sympathetically, patting her best friend on the shoulder to comfort her.

Shuichi's popularity is indeed a sweet trouble for his girlfriend.

"Hey, what's going on with Shuichi?" Tomizawa Chikage was getting impatient. "He asked us to come over today to discuss our trip to Osaka, but he hasn't shown up at all. Has he forgotten about us?"

"Onii-chan didn't sleep well last night. After eating dorayaki this morning, he went back to his room to sleep. He's probably still asleep."

After Lingzi finished speaking, she got up and prepared to go upstairs to call Lin Xiuyi.

But as soon as she reached the door, she saw Lin Xiuyi yawning and slowly walking down from outside.

He was wearing a loose T-shirt and jeans, his hair was still a little messy, and he had obviously just woken up, with a sleepy look in his eyes.

"You're all here! Sorry, I overslept."

Lin Xiuyi greeted them with a smile and walked to the center of the izakaya.
"Let's all sit around the table and discuss our trip to Osaka. Should we leave tomorrow, or wait until the day after?"

Everyone sat down around the table. Yukiko and Eri were the quickest, sitting on either side of Hayashi Hideichi, and subconsciously leaning closer to him as if to assert their ownership.

Reiko, who was a step too late, saw that her brother's sides were "occupied" on both sides. She stomped her foot angrily, but there was nothing she could do.

She had no choice but to move a small stool over and stubbornly place it behind Lin Xiuyi, sitting down right next to the back of his chair, declaring her own exclusive territory as his "younger sister".

Beside Yukiko and Eri Kisaki sat Midori Orikasa and Chikage Tomizawa, respectively.

Midori Orikasa sat quietly, holding a notebook, ready to record her itinerary.

Chikage Tomizawa leaned back in her chair, her eyes filled with anticipation. Her enthusiasm for the trip to Osaka was unexpectedly high.

Next to them are Kogoro Mouri and Ruri, a couple.

Kogoro Mouri was still bothered by Ruri's earlier "disdain," and he kept stealing glances at her, wanting to cheer her up, but he didn't know what to say. (End of Chapter)